SALT LAKE CITY — In the midst of one of the most disappointing seasons in his career, Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham said he has not decided whether he will return to the sidelines next year.
During his weekly media briefing on Monday, Whittingham was asked about his plans for a 21st season leading the Utes.
"I will evaluate after the season's over and see what the situation is," Whittingham said. "My decision will be made on what's best for the program, not what's best for me. It'll be completely determined on how I feel this program is best served going forward."
Utah has lost its last seven games heading into Friday's season finale at UCF. At 4-7, a loss to the Knights would give Whittingham his most in one season since taking over the program full-time in 2005.
Despite the poor showing during a season in which the Utes were expected to contend for a national championship, Whittingham won't let his ego determine whether he returns.
"I'm not saying, 'Well, this was a bad year so, for me, I gotta come back and have a better year.' Everyone wants to have a better year next year, regardless who the coach is," he said.
Whittingham is unsure whether he'll decide on his future before making off-season moves to bring in a new offensive coordinator and players through the transfer portal.
"Can't tell you for sure," he said. "[I'll] sit down and evaluate everything."
Whether or not Whittingham remains with the Utes immediately following the season, he said current defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley, the team's head coach-in-waiting, will be involved in all decisions.
"It's only right that he does that because he's the coach-in-waiting," Whittingham said of Scalley. "And when that time comes, we're going to make sure that he's had input on big decisions, and so it'll be a team effort in that respect going forward."
Whittingham added that current recruits targeted by Utah are fully aware of the succession plan to move Scalley into the head coaching role.
"It's not like the recruits and our own guys don't know what the succession plan is," the coach said, "and so that takes some of the edge off of it, and it would be a whole lot different if we didn't have that plan in place."
The head coach isn't the only position that is up in the air for the Utes. Whittingham said he'll meet with Cam Rising after Friday's game to see if the quarterback will return for a seventh collegiate season.
"I have no inside scoop or anything right now about what he's thinking," Whittingham said. "I'm just trying to give him some space and let him sort things out and decide which direction he wants to go."
Whittingham believes a decision on Rising's future will come within the next 7-10 days.
